


What's Really Important

by bmlhillenkeene



Category: Discworld - Terry Pratchett
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-21
Updated: 2015-05-21
Packaged: 2018-03-31 15:28:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3983233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bmlhillenkeene/pseuds/bmlhillenkeene
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam Vimes loves his job (most of the time).<br/>Sam Vimes loves his city (some of the time).<br/>Sam Vimes loves his wife.</p>
<p>And look, whispers that little voice in the back of his mind, you love her so much you put her last.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What's Really Important

Sybil Vimes (nee Ramkin) was a sensiable sort. 

She always had been. 

The only thing she truly indulged herself with was her dragons. She had grown up listening to her fathers wild tales of knights, kings and dragons; and while the knights and kings sounded alright, to a young girl already different enough from her peers, the large, magnificent beasts that were dragons captured her imagination and took it with them on their adventures. As she grew older and accepted that seeing a true dragon was likely going to be impossible, but still filled with such wonder in them that she had to learn all she could of those that were left. It resulted in a widespread Swamp dragon fascination, one she somehow, against all odds (because she wasn't a natural leader among her peers) had ended up sparking something of a fashion trend.

She was the first to admit she had buried herself in her work with the dragons, waving off her friends comments on her lack of a romantic life as being far too busy. It became strained when romantic turned into married and she'd been left as the only unmarried woman in her group. But she was well brought up, and her smile faltered only slightly as her friends words became just that tad more pitying. But she was sensiable, and as such she knew better than to fall into the trap of 'falling in love'. She knew she was the richest person in the city, any man that approached her was only after her money. Her father had made sure to teach her to avoid such men.

Havelock Vetinari was the only man she knew who seemed to get along with her for herself. As the Patrician, her money meant little enough to him, and he was always interested, in his own way about her work with dragons. There wasn't any love between them. Havelock had no room in his heart for more than the city. But he was a good friend, and she liked that there was no expectation when she was around him.

Sam Vimes, when he had been thrust into her life, was something unlike anything she had ever expirianced. He was so rough and ready, and he hated her money, her status. Hated it still. But she was getting older, and he was the first man she had ever met that reminded her of the knights in the stories her father told. 

But she was sensiable. She knew the man was like Vetinari. The city was his first love, perhaps his only love. But he seemed to like her, enough at least to look past her status and money, to look at her. It was nice to be seen, sometimes. And he did his best, to do all those things a lover and husband should do, but she knew his mind was often elsewhere, on the streets, with his men. She'd gone into this with her eyes wide open, she knew what to expect.

She knew better than to wish for more.

~*~

Sam Vimes wasn't an ungrateful man.

At least, he didn't think he was.

But sometimes, most often when he slipped into the house in the wee hours of the morning, he felt like he was. Stripping out of his armour before he reached the bedroom, leaving it stacked neatly for Wilikins in the morning, he paused in to doorway, the faint flickering of the lamps in the hall illuminated the bed and Sybils face. Her face was lax in sleep, she wasn't an attractive sleeper, but that didn't bother him, it never had.

When he'd first allowed himself to consider her as a partner, a wife, someone to spend his life with, he'd likened her to a seiging army, gathering at his gates and ready to smash every attempt to refuse the match. He'd given in. Because there was nothing else he could do, and he hadn't regretted it, not once.

He didn't believe there was another woman in the world who could have put up with him, the missed meals together, short messages carrying his apologies that he wouldn't be able to make it to some function or other, when he remembered to send them. She accepted all of it with all the grace she possessed. He knew she'd never show her displeasure, she wasn't that kind of woman. They weren't married long enough yet for her to be ready to stand her ground on the little things like that, and he somehow knew he would still get away with it years from now.

He wasn't an ungrateful man. He wasn't. He was very grateful for her, and everything she had given him.

He slipped into the room at last, letting the door swing softly shut, and eased himself into the bed beside her.

"Sam?" she asked, eyes blinking open blearily.

"Shh." he soothed, brushing a hand across her cheek. She blinked again and his growing night vision picked out an odd look of vulenerability on her face. He gently kissed her forehead, settling himself more firmly into the bed and getting his shoulder under her head. She settled back to sleep against him and he shut his eyes.

Sam Vimes loved his job (most of the time).  
Sam Vimes loved his city (some of the time).  
Sam Vimes loves his wife (and he always will).

**Author's Note:**

> I have this werid thing about Sam and Sybil. I know he loves her, Ii know he does, but sometimes I just want to shake him, and see cute domestic moments between them.
> 
> This is a bot of a werid fic, and I apologise!


End file.
